


The Scent of Longing

by Apparentlynotreallyfinnish



Series: Prompted ficlets [18]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Pick-Up Lines, Rhett Is Smooth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 16:03:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20361262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish/pseuds/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish
Summary: Part of a series of prompted ficlets. Prompt: "You smell really nice."





	The Scent of Longing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LikeASwitchInHeat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeASwitchInHeat/gifts).

“You smell really nice,” a deep baritone sounded from behind Link. He frowned and readied himself to rebuff yet another unwanted advance. 

He’d just wanted to come to a bar, get a drink with Alex and catch up. They hadn’t seen each other in a while and Link had missed his friend. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to get a conversation going because they were constantly interrupted by men offering drinks – and themselves – at Link.

“I’m really sorry. We shouldn’t have come here,” Link had sighed just a few minutes ago, right after shooing another suitor away. “What is it with this place anyway?”

Alex laughed and shook his head.

“What?” Link asked, incredulous.

“It’s not the place, doll. It’s you.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not sending any signals. I’m just sitting here talking to you!” Link huffed indignant. Alex kept laughing.

“It’s okay. I know you’re not. It’s just _you_. You can’t help but to exude this crazy bi-energy. And I mean…you’re not that bad to look at. Don’t get me wrong! I would never get into that, way too much maintenance,” he said with a smirk. Link rolled his eyes at him.

“Oh, you would be lucky to have this,” Link said and motioned towards himself making a kissy face. Alex faked a gag that made them both laugh. That was when Link heard the man.

“You smell really nice.”

_What a weird pick-up line…_ Link turned.

“Thank you but…” The words died on his lips as he tilted his face up to look at the man standing in front of him. Link’s stomach dropped and for a moment he felt slightly faint.

“Hi,” he said. He meant to use his normal voice, but the word came out all thin and needy. Link couldn’t help the blush creeping onto his cheeks. The man’s smile widened and he took a swig off his beer before saying in an even and deep tone: “Hello.”

Link’s brain was short-circuiting. The man was an Adonis; tall and lean but with enough muscles for his shirt to tighten perfectly against his pecs and biceps. He had a lovely face, partly hidden behind a bushy beard that called for Link to rake his fingers through it. His eyes were a peculiar mix of green and grey and the laugh lines that surrounded them hinted at lifetime’s worth of stories of joy. His hair was styled up but few blonde curls had fallen on his forehead and Link ached to brush them away.

“Can I buy you and your friend a drink?” the man asked. Link wondered how long he’d spent staring at him.

“Me _and_ my friend?” he asked a bit confused. The man nodded towards Alex and smiled.

“Yeah, you seem to be having fun catching up and I thought I’d buy you guys some drinks.” 

“How nice of you,“ Link said, waiting for the catch.

“I gotta say I’m not one hundred percent selfless for offering. I was kinda hoping to get your number.”

“You don’t want to take me home tonight?” Link blurted out and immediately turned beet-red and wide-eyed. _Wow, that was smooth as fuck, Neal._ He could hear Alex snickering behind him.

“Oh, I definitely do. But I don’t do one night stands. I’m a marathon not a sprint,” the man said with a quick wink that made Link’s stomach coil with sweet and tasty heat.

“Thanks man, we’ll take two beers,” Alex said after Link had been silent for a beat too long. “And he’ll definitely give you his number.”

The man turned towards the bar and ordered the drinks with a practiced wave of a hand. Link’s gaze dipped lower and he devoured the man’s long legs and swept over the round of his tight ass. He swallowed, hard. Alex was nudging his side and smirking. Link scowled at him and slapped his hand away.

“Here you go.” The man turned back with two beers and handed them to Link and Alex. “So, you think I might be able to get that number?”

“Yeah, can you give me your phone or…?”

Link punched in his number with trembling fingers and gave the gorgeous stranger back his phone. The man looked at the screen and smiled.

“Thank you, Link. I’m Rhett by the way.”

“Hi, Rhett,” Link whispered, compelled to say the name out loud.

“I’ll leave you guys to it. Have a nice night,” he said and turned to leave.

“Hey, wait!” Link called after him. Rhett turned and looked at him curiously.

“You said I smelled nice…”

“Yeah?”

“What did I smell like?” Link asked, not really knowing why he was asking that. He just needed to keep the man here a little bit longer. Rhett stepped back to him and slowly bent down. Link’s breath caught and he stood still as Rhett’s nose brushed lightly against his neck. Rhett drew in a deep breath, smelling Link in a strangely intimate way that made Link’s head spin and his cock twitch excitedly.

“You smell like clean laundry hanging on a clothes line, like summer nights after a rainstorm, like the first snow of the year. You smell like something I’ve been missing.”

Rhett stood back up. Their eyes met and the intensity of Rhett’s stare made Link’s heart hammer almost painfully against his rib cage. Rhett’s gaze moved lower, clearly taking in the curve of Link’s lips. Then he stepped back, nodded to Alex and walked away. Link just watched speechlessly at his receding figure.

“You okay?” Alex asked after a while.

“No – I think I’m in love.”


End file.
